and everything goes to hell
by fantasia of solace
Summary: Dreams always shatter in the end. —Sting, Yukino, Rogue, Kagura; high school!au


**author's note** hi, hi, another christmas upload again. i started writing this a few days ago, actually, because the other stuff still needs more dusting up (and i'm thinking of fishing out a digimon one, because i haven't done that fandom enough justice like, at all). unfortunately, lots of those are really crappy. (i've posted up three pokémon and one angel beats! one-shots though. check it out if you like those, pretty please. haha, this was supposed to be sting-yukino-rogue, and the moment i put in kagura, i couldn't resist putting her in. ended up as a love rectangle-square. and lyon liking kagura? sorry, the choices were few. sting and rogue, taken (read the story). natsu or lyon? i'll go for lyon, thank you very much. even though i like lyvia. well, i like nali too **don't flame**

**inspiration** er, too much high school!au reading? haha. well, the last part's inspired by the ending of keep the faith, a book by candy harper.

**pairings** sting/yukino, rogue/yukino, sting/kagura, rogue/kagura, lyon/kagura

**warnings** pairings above. some are one-sided, some you can interpret it as you like. e.g. rogue/kagura

**disclaimer** disclaimed (don't think that's the right word, but who cares? it's obvious i don't own this.)

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><p><em>.<em>

_._

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_it's all heading downhill now_

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_._

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_(someone please take my hand)_

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_._

Yukino finds Sting lingering at the café they first met in. It's already closed at this time of night, but he doesn't seem to mind. He's just standing there, staring into the blank space mindlessly with his hands tucked into his pockets.

"Sting."

He glances at her, but doesn't move.

"Yukino."

Nervously, she bites down her lower lip and runs a finger along the creases in her dress, carefully forming a response in her head.

"Kagura-san…you could've gone with her too, you know?" When he doesn't respond, she adds quietly, "She's a nice person."

"I know." His words are laced with uncharacteristic iciness.

At his tone, she flinches visibly and he immediately feels a bad, but he doesn't apologise.

"I—I'm sorry."

She's looking incredibly uncomfortable with the situation right now, fingers playing with her dress as she waits for Sting to say something in return. Tipping his chin to the sky, he tries to keep his tone casual as he replies, "Don't be."

Surprised, she looks up at him. Anyone in his position should be angry, furious at her for using him. But he won't — and she should've known better — because he _always_ ends up forgiving, whether he likes it or not. Even if he yells and shouts that he won't ever forgive someone, it's only a matter of time before he gives in and relents.

He feels a sudden urge to laugh. Perhaps she _doesn't_ know better, because all she knows is his little crush on her, and that is all that matters to her to get what she wants.

"I—" her voice falters for a moment. "I shouldn't have done that to you." She lowers her eyes regretfully, wringing her hands together.

_Glad you know it,_ he thinks as he scowls at the dark sky, as if it's responsible for his problems. After a period of silence, he advises, "You should go back. He's probably waiting for you."

"I told him no," she blurts unexpectedly, startling him. Then, she mumbles, "I…I said I needed a little time to think."

_What the hell is she up to?_ He curses her indecisiveness. Sure, he's upset that she strung him along, but at least _something_ would come out of it, yet after achieving it, she pushes it away so his pain is all for nothing.

Then again, he still has a chance.

He almost feels bad for his best friend.

"He—he's a good guy," he finds himself saying, and his voice cracks as he plasters a smile on his face and goes on. "It's not like I have experience, b-but I'm sure he'll make a good boyfriend."

It's exceedingly hard to pretend when he's always been the kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. His heart is pounding in his chest now as she looks at him curiously. She opens her mouth to say something, but closes it.

"Don't lose him before it's too late," now he wants to cry.

Her gaze is directed at the ground as she fiddles with her fingers. She gives him a tiny, hesitant nod and he feels his lips curl into a smile, despite his throbbing heart.

"There's still time…you can go find him."

"I-I'd rather not."

He raises an eyebrow at her and she shifts her weight to her other foot.

"You can't keep him waiting."

"I—I just don't know if he's what I want."

This nearly _infuriates_ him, because now she's toying with not one but _two_ people's affections for her. He wants to slap some sense into her, but the pained look on her face makes his stomach twist into knots.

"Really." It's not clear if it's supposed to be a statement or a question.

She sighs despondently and keeps her gaze fixed at the ground.

"I don't know anymore." There isn't any hesitance in this sentence at all.

Yukino waits for Sting to say something, but he doesn't, and she watches him stare up at the sky, face emotionless, lacking his usual gusto. Her thoughts trail back to the dark-haired boy she left behind earlier. _What's he doing now?_

"Go find him. Talk to him. Settle things," he says whatever he can think of before turning his back towards her. "I'll see you on Monday then, I suppose." The nonchalance in his voice is painfully fake, and he tries not to look back as he walks away.

She's at a loss for words as she watches him leave, and in the end, all she can mumble is a pitiful, quiet, "See you on Monday."

_I love you, _he wants to say, but it hurts too much and his eyes are stinging and—

—he doesn't know where to go, what to do anymore.

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_._

Kagura steps out of the doors, heaving a sigh of relief as the party noise fades away in the distance. She frowns at her attire; there really isn't any point in dolling herself up. Admittedly, she feels a little guilty for abandoning her friends, but then again, they're probably having the best time of their lives with their dates.

Unlike her.

She swallows and lifts up her skirt slightly as she makes her way down the steps. All she wants to do now is have a little alone time, to think and try and get over everything that's happened. _So, Vastia liked me?_

Her fists clench tightly as she resists the urge to smash it into the wall, which would be quite inappropriate behaviour for someone in such a ladylike attire — not that she actually cared. Heck, Risley and the others had practically _dragged_ her to the dance.

Something from the corner of her eye catches her attention and she turns her head swiftly. There's someone sitting on the grass, someone like her, away from the dance. Quietly, she tip-toes closer and her eyes widen slightly in surprise, because it's Rogue. He's sitting patiently by the lake next to the school building in the Science garden, shadowed by tall trees that sway in the wind.

_Shouldn't he be with Yukino, that woman Sting wanted? _She thinks bitterly, cocking her head as she approaches him. Apparently, he hears her heels shuffle with the fallen leaves on the ground because he looks over his shoulder to see who's there.

"Mikazuchi-san."

She nods in response. "What're you doing out here?"

Rogue turns back and continues looking mindlessly at the reflection of the moon on the lake's surface. "I could ask you the same question," he retorts.

"I'm not interested in some dance," she scoffs before raising both her eyebrows at him. "What about you? I'm sure you have a date with that Yukino Aguria girl from Lisanna Strauss' class. The one I competed with in last month's debate…"

His face contorts slightly and she feels like she's struck a nerve she shouldn't have, but she can't take back what's been said, so she waits for his reply.

"Earlier…she told me no."

"You only asked her today?" she questions, confused.

Eyes darting to the ground, he shakes his head and replies, "No. She agreed, earlier on. But just now, when we met up, she—she told me no. She said s-she needed some time to—to think." His voice wavers for a moment — _she thinks_.

"Oh," is the only word she can find in response. "Well, I guess we're both dateless, huh? Not that I'm trying to imply anything, though." She contemplates asking him politely if she can sit down, but then again, he doesn't own the garden. Oh well. "May I sit down?"

"Feel free." He closes his eyes and lets out a long breath.

Tucking the skirt of her dress under her thighs with her hands, she sits down gracefully — mind you, she's not a tomboy even if she hates fancy stuff — on the grass patch next to him, though slightly further down, closer to the lake. Playing with one of the crumpled leaves on the ground, she allows herself a little smile before asking, "So, what's your plans for tonight then?"

Through the reflection in the lake, she sees him frown.

"I told you, I don't have a date."

She chuckles lightly and reminds, "It doesn't _have_ to be a date…so, you want to go out to town? I'm a little hungry, and I know a café or two that's still open at this hour." Satisfaction fills her as she watches his eyes fill up with the slightest hints of curiosity.

"Why…not," he answers slowly, pushing himself to his feet. "I don't have anything better to do here anyways." _Going out to town is better than moping around._

"Good," she stands up and beckons towards the gates. "Let's go then." As a joke, she adds, "It's not like anyone will miss us, with all that partying going on in there."

For once that night, she sees a genuine smile light up his face.

"I suppose. Come on then. Lead the way, Kagura-_sama_."

And the two teenagers walk off into the night, laughing and joking all the way, drowning their sorrows in their happiness.

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Yukino takes slow, heavy steps back towards the school building, looking down at her feet as she walks. She honestly didn't know anymore.

_Sting or Rogue?_

Both faces flash in her mind, both wearing those kind smiles that enchant her.

_Choose._

Her smile falls at once and her problem-riddled heart palpitates quickly in her chest before she shakes her head vigorously, trying to clear her head of those disturbing thoughts that only make her day seem drearier than it already is. She reminds herself to give Rogue a try first; she can't leave him hanging, or she'll be destroying _both_ Sting and Rogue.

She passes by an open café with bright lights shining through its windows. She sees a familiar flash of black hair and—

_It's him, _she gasps in horror as her eyes fall on the black-haired beauty next to him. At that moment, she can literally feel her heart plummeting, as if it's tumbling off a high cliff and into the depths of the churning seawaters.

They look so happy together.

What does she do now?

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_(i don't want to fall)_

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><p><strong>last notes<strong> review, fav if you like.


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